Thyroid papillary carcinoma is a type of cancer and can be divided into four stages. Thyroid papillary carcinoma is the most common type of thyroid cancer with the lowest malignancy rate. It accounts for approximately 85% of thyroid cancers and can occur at any age, but it is more common in children or young women (before 40 years old). Some patients have undergone neck X-ray treatment during childhood. The tumor grows slowly and can be confined within the thyroid gland for several years. The lesion can spread to other parts of the gland and cervical lymph nodes through lymphatic vessels within the gland, but it may also be confined for several years, making it easy to overlook its nature. The incidence of thyroid papillary carcinoma is increasing year by year.
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In the first stage of thyroid papillary carcinoma, the tumor is relatively small, and it is difficult to feel the presence of a lump when palpating the thyroid gland with hands. However, there is a single nodule within the thyroid gland, and there is no change in the morphology of the thyroid gland. The nodule activity is not restricted, so it is difficult for people to detect it. In the second stage, the condition gradually progresses, and swelling may occur in the lymph nodes on one or both sides of the patient, but the activity is not greatly restricted, and there is no distant metastasis. In the third stage, the condition becomes more severe, and the lump within the thyroid gland may penetrate the thyroid capsule, potentially invading surrounding tissues. Lymph nodes may also swell, but there is no distant metastasis. In the fourth stage, the condition is the most severe, with thyroid cancer combining and having already metastasized to distant sites. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to it.
